The findings of Wave 1 of the METAVASEA survey, conducted by HELMEPA, indicate that the Eastern Mediterranean maritime sector is demonstrating growing awareness and an uneven but progressing readiness toward decarbonization, but faces significant challenges related to training, infrastructure, and technology costs.
Progress and Fuel Adoption
- IMO Alignment: A majority of shipping companies (74%) are already aligned or plan to align with the IMO’s net-zero targets.
- Emissions Monitoring: Awareness of emissions management is high, but the focus remains primarily on direct (Scope 1) emissions (73%). Monitoring of indirect (Scope 2) and supply chain (Scope 3) emissions is minimal.
- Alternative Fuels: Biofuels lead the transition as the most widely adopted or planned alternative (62%), with green hydrogen and ammonia gaining interest.
- Fleet Size Impact: Large fleets (>50 vessels) are significantly more advanced in emissions tracking and the implementation of ESG strategy than small fleets.
Key Challenges
- Fuel Uncertainty and Infrastructure: A notable percentage of respondents (42%) express concerns about fuel compatibility and infrastructure gaps.
- Technology Barriers: The main hurdles for wider adoption of technology upgrades are technological immaturity, high costs, vessel compatibility, and regulatory complexity.
- Crew Fatigue: Crew fatigue is ranked as the top safety concern by 70% of seafarers, driven by regulatory pressure and increased workload.
Training Deficiencies
- Training Gap: A large majority of seafarers (64%) reported no decarbonization-related training in the past two years.
- Efficacy: While in-house training prevails, satisfaction rates were significantly higher for external providers, especially for courses on new fuels and technology.
Skills Requirements
- Both seafarers and office staff equally prioritize a holistic set of skills:
- Safety skills (risk assessment, management).
- Technical skills (understanding decarbonization technologies, energy management systems).
- Soft skills (leadership, teamwork, critical thinking).
Port Challenges and Focus
- Fuel Bunkering: Only 20% of ports provide Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) bunkering, despite the Mediterranean becoming a SOx Emission Control Area in May 2025.
- Emissions Monitoring: 60% of ports have no emissions monitoring systems in place.
- Decarbonization Focus: Onshore power systems (OPS) are the most common planned initiative (40%), followed by renewable energy installations and alternative fuels bunkering stations.
- Personnel: Lack of trained personnel in LNG handling is a key barrier for alternative fuel adoption.
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Source: Safety4sea